Immediately before going out on leave, Seals was the major in charge of professional standards, overseeing officer training, recruiting and internal investigations. Prior to that, he was the department's operations commander — overseeing both patrol officers and detectives.

Seals' lawyer, Steve Forbes, told the Daily Press on Nov. 29 that Seals was offered the chance to come back to work on Jan. 1, after a 30-day unpaid suspension that would begin Dec. 1. At the time, Forbes was unsure whether Seals would accept the deal.

Forbes did not return phone calls Friday. Citing a personnel exemption under the state's open records law, City Attorney Cynthia Hudson declined to comment whether Seals took a 30-day unpaid suspension.

"Randy Seals is presently in active status in his employment as a police major," she said, declining to elaborate.

Seals' salary is $94,089, according to city spokeswoman Robin McCormick. Based on that salary and an earlier pay rate provided to the Daily Press in 2012, Seals is estimated to have received more than $70,000 during more than 44 weeks at home.

Another high ranking officer — Maj. Edward Lattimore III, the commander of the operations branch — is no longer with the police force. "Ed Lattimore retired from city employment effective January 1," Hudson wrote in an email.

Lattimore, 51, had more than 30 years on the force, having begun in July 1982. After being promoted from captain to major last year, Lattimore had on at least one occasion been left in charge of the department while Jordan was out of town.

The reason for Lattimore's Jan. 1 departure was unclear Friday, with Hudson declining to elaborate beyond her brief statement. Calls left at Lattimore's home in Newport News were not returned.

McCormick said Lattimore's salary was $93,584.

Jordan resigned as chief in November, about a month after being placed on paid administrative leave in October as part of the internal investigation into the cigarette sting. Jordan was replaced by Tommy Townsend, one of the department's former chiefs, on an interim basis as the city looks for a new chief.

The Hampton Police Division now has four major slots, with one position vacant in the wake of Lattimore's departure.

Maj. Ronald V. Davis has taken over Lattimore's spot, becoming the department's operations commander — over both patrols and detectives. Maj. Jean M. Troutman is now the commander of professional standards, which includes training, recruitment and internal investigations. She recently led the internal investigation into the undercover police sting.

Seals is now in charge of administration and communications. The fourth slot is now open.

Another officer, Lt. James R. Crotts, resigned in April 2012, six weeks after being placed on paid leave in the cigarette investigation.

Forbes gave notice to the city last month that he plans to file a lawsuit on Crotts' behalf, involving "several current and former members" of the police department. Forbes requested a meeting in late December to resolve the claim before the filing of a suit, but Hudson declined to say what happened at that meeting.

The police's sting firm, Blue Water Tobacco, was designed to crack down on illegal cigarette traffickers — such as people who buy cigarettes in Virginia and take them to states with far higher cigarette sales taxes, such as in the Northeast.

But though more than $4 million flowed through the operation as cigarettes were bought and sold, no arrests were made over the 19-month operation. Cash generated by the business was used not only to buy more cigarettes, but to purchase nine cars and SUVs, fund out-of-town trips and buy electronics, among other expenses.

Jordan shut the operation down in January following a misconduct complaint pertaining to officer travel and "per diem" allowances. The State Police opened an investigation into that complaint, but the city's top prosecutor later determined no criminal charges were warranted.

While two outside investigations continue into the cigarette operation, the investigation over the internal misconduct complaint was recently concluded. City Manager Mary Bunting — expressing shock at how the undercover police operation didn't follow city rules on spending — promised to mandate more financial oversight in the future.

Bunting could not be reached for comment Friday on Seals' return to work.